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Title 42, The Public Health and WelfareRelease 119-73not60

§1862p–12 Cloud Computing Research Enhancement

Title 42 › Chapter 16— NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION › § 1862p–12

Last updated Apr 5, 2026|Official source

Summary

The Director of the National Science Foundation can fund a national research plan about problems and opportunities from more cloud computing. The plan covers new ways to make clouds work better and safer, ways to build large, trustworthy cloud systems, ways to measure cloud performance and energy use, and new security methods to protect sensitive or private data. No later than 60 days after January 4, 2011, the Director must start a review of cloud research needs. That review must look at data rules that existed on January 4, 2011, theft or misuse of cloud services, technology for trusted communication and storage, and other topics the Director thinks are important. The Director can accept outside proposals and must give Congress yearly reports for not less than 5 consecutive years on NSF cloud research results and recommendations, with the reports posted on the NSF website. The Director of NIST must work with industry to create and support standards for trusted cloud systems, measurements, interoperability, and assurance.

Full Legal Text

Title 42, §1862p–12

The Public Health and Welfare, Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)The Director may support a national research agenda in key areas affected by the increased use of public and private cloud computing, including—
(1)new approaches, techniques, technologies, and tools for—
(A)optimizing the effectiveness and efficiency of cloud computing environments; and
(B)mitigating security, identity, privacy, reliability, and manageability risks in cloud-based environments, including as they differ from traditional data centers;
(2)new algorithms and technologies to define, assess, and establish large-scale, trustworthy, cloud-based infrastructures;
(3)models and advanced technologies to measure, assess, report, and understand the performance, reliability, energy consumption, and other characteristics of complex cloud environments; and
(4)advanced security technologies to protect sensitive or proprietary information in global-scale cloud environments.
(b)(1)Not later than 60 days after January 4, 2011, the Director shall initiate a review and assessment of cloud computing research opportunities and challenges, including research areas listed in subsection (a), as well as related issues such as—
(A)the management and assurance of data that are the subject of Federal laws and regulations in cloud computing environments, which laws and regulations exist on January 4, 2011;
(B)misappropriation of cloud services, piracy through cloud technologies, and other threats to the integrity of cloud services;
(C)areas of advanced technology needed to enable trusted communications, processing, and storage; and
(D)other areas of focus determined appropriate by the Director.
(2)The Director may accept unsolicited proposals that review and assess the issues described in paragraph (1). The proposals may be judged according to existing criteria of the National Science Foundation.
(c)The Director shall provide an annual report for not less than 5 consecutive years to Congress on the outcomes of National Science Foundation investments in cloud computing research, recommendations for research focus and program improvements, or other related recommendations. The reports, including any interim findings or recommendations, shall be made publicly available on the website of the National Science Foundation.
(d)The Director of the National Institute of Standards and Technology shall—
(1)collaborate with industry in the development of standards supporting trusted cloud computing infrastructures, metrics, interoperability, and assurance; and
(2)support standards development with the intent of supporting common goals.

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

Codification Section was enacted as part of the America COMPETES Reauthorization Act of 2010, also known as the America Creating Opportunities to Meaningfully Promote Excellence in Technology, Education, and Science Reauthorization Act of 2010, and also as part of the National Science Foundation Authorization Act of 2010, and not as part of the National Science Foundation Act of 1950 which comprises this chapter.

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Definitions For definitions of terms used in this section, see section 502 of Pub. L. 111–358, set out as a note under section 1862p of this title.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

42 U.S.C. § 1862p–12

Title 42, The Public Health and Welfare

Last Updated

Apr 5, 2026

Release point: 119-73not60